Move (back) to Africa

Dschang, Cameroon

You are a young smart and ambitious African woman (or man), and you are living outside of your country of origin. After a couple of years studying and/or working abroad, you start asking yourself if you should move back to the motherland. Maybe you have the impression that you hit a glass ceiling in your country of residence, because of your origins, or simply because there is not much room for growth in that country/industry/company. Maybe you sometimes miss the warmth and the sense of belonging of your home country, and you think you could be of a greater impact there. In the past years, you have seen many of your friends and contacts moving back, you seen all those press articles, those success stories, these conferences that might be proofs of the transformation of the African narrative and they make you want to be a part of it.

A thousand questions are probably swirling in your mind. Should you make the jump and go? When? How? Why? What if it doesn’t work? Is it going to impact your personal life? Should you risk decreasing your income if you move back? Should you wait to have more experience?

I have been in your shoes and have asked myself these questions several times, and if you have read about me, you know I finally moved back. But let me tell you, it was not a walk in the park.

Suresnes, France

As some of you may know, I was born in France from Cameroonian parents but spent a significant part of my life in Cameroon before moving to Côte d’Ivoire for work. From there, I went back to France for Business School.

Several years later, after few years working as a consultant in France and in Asia, I moved back to Cameroon to be the country director of the local subsidiary of the biggest ecommerce company in Africa.

Today, among other projects, I am working with a prominent US Ivy League University in West Africa, as an innovation & entrepreneurship specialist.

While being “back” in Africa, I have the pleasure to travel regularly to Europe and US for training, speaking engagements (for organizations such as the United Nations, McKinsey Consulting firm or the Worl Trade Organization) and various other business and personal purposes. It allows me to connect with friends, take a stroll in city centers, shop, work with a very decent internet connection and enjoy the best of both worlds!

I believe there is a time and place for everyone’s purpose. And no, I do not think that all Africans should move back to “help build” Africa, except if you benefited from a scholarship from your government, or if your residence permit is expired. You absolutely have the right to stay in France, UK, US, Canada, Germany or wherever you choose to work/study/live and be happy to. However, if you believe moving (back) to Africa could be the right move for you, I can help you:

Assess if it is the right decision for you at this moment and draft an alternative plan if it’s not

Build a strategy to increase your visibility and credibility for the African market even before leaving the West

Show you how to find a relevant job or business opportunities in Africa

Share with you the tips and tricks nobody tells you about for a smooth and successful transition to Africa, (and backward if necessary)

Strategically define the steps to take to make that dream a fulfilling journey

So what now? You must feel a little bit scared, and it’s normal. But if a little voice keeps asking you “what if?”, and if your heart beats a little bit faster when you see someone moving back to Africa, then maybe the time has come for you take action!

Don’t wait another year or another decade to at least figure it out.

What’s next? Please tell me more. Fill the form below, and in the How May I Help You section:

Give me as many explicit details about your situation as you can, as well as your expectations

Tell me the key questions you would like to have clarity on after our work together

Tell me the date by which you would like us to work together

Expect to hear from me or my team very soon in your mailbox!

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And as a bonus, feel free to join My Best Next Step, a free online Mastermind I have launched for young African women (from the continent and its diaspora) looking for inspiration, support and practical advice for the next step in their career or in their entrepreneurial journey.

Looking forward to building the next page of your African success story with you!